Zach looked directly into Ben's blue eyes, wanting to communicate what he was feeling. I don't want to go back to dad's house. It isn't our home. I don't have a home, and Rebecca doesn't have a home. He didn't get to say any of it because Ben continued talking.
"Mom said she's got pot roast cooking, and she's put the spare bed up in Ellie's room. As long as Rebecca doesn't mind sharing?"
Suddenly the weight in Zach's heart lifted and
Rebecca pressed closed to his side. His sister didn't know Ben other than as a kind stranger, even though he hadn't really left Zach's side in three days. Still, she could grow to know him, and she would love him, and his mom, and his brother and sister, and the assorted extras that came along with the package. Ben and his mom wanted the Weston siblings to come to them.
He looked down at Rebecca's face. She still showed the same vacant confusion he had recognized in his own face after one of his father's attacks. How long had his dad been hitting her? How long had he not seen it? Was it just since he had been forced out of the house? They needed a sanctuary, a home. It was being offered to them on a plate.
129
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
A home and a family, and as he looked back at a clearly hopeful Ben, maybe also someone he could count on.
"Let's go home."
130
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
Chapter 12
July fourth was just the best day ever; a picnic on the playing fields and a fireworks display watched from the blanket with his new family. Ben was on duty, but he did manage to make it to see the fireworks with them. It was the night of their first real kiss, in that half time of dusk, as they waited for drinks at the booth and chatted about Rebecca, football, and everything else that came so easy between them.
It was a gentle kiss, and Zach simply leaned into it and then pulled away with a heated expectation rising in him. He touched his own lips with a single finger, touching where Ben had kissed and looked directly at him.
Zach wasn't stupid. He knew why Ben pulled back
all the time. He had turned twenty five in May, and he had explained how six years was too much of a gap. Not only that, but a police officer didn't take advantage of someone who was a guest in his momma's home. Zach never argued the point, just stole hugs when he could, spent hours talking to Ben, and tonight Ben had given him a simple kiss. It was a start.
It didn't go any further, but he was content to lean back against Ben and watch the fireworks, and if his hand 131
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
slipped down to cover Ben's? Well, no one could actually see in the dark.
* * * *
Thanksgiving marked two milestones. The news
came through that their father had been put away for a minimum of twenty-five years, having pled guilty to all charges — manslaughter, as far as his wife went, abuse of minors, and willful child neglect.
Then Rebecca had her first real boyfriend, a young guy from her school, all holey jeans and leather jacket, and Zach did his big brother thing. He was stern and tried to go for intimidating the boy, which worked fairly well as he had bulked up since his life had settled into routine. He very nearly had the physique to match his height. He spent long hours thinking about his dad and what had happened to his mom, wishing he could find just one ounce of affection for either of them. His mom's only redeeming quality was that she had put herself in the way to protect Rebecca. He had gotten to the point where he realized he felt nothing for either parent. That lack of feeling scared him enough to go into counseling. He didn't want to be numb, to miss out on life and love because of what he'd 132
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
endured.
Counseling helped. He had sessions on his own,
then some with Rebecca, and even one with Ben holding his hand. He had passed his GED and was determined to make this year the year that he was able to apply to colleges.
If anything,
"Mom said she's got pot roast cooking, and she's put the spare bed up in Ellie's room. As long as Rebecca doesn't mind sharing?"
Suddenly the weight in Zach's heart lifted and
Rebecca pressed closed to his side. His sister didn't know Ben other than as a kind stranger, even though he hadn't really left Zach's side in three days. Still, she could grow to know him, and she would love him, and his mom, and his brother and sister, and the assorted extras that came along with the package. Ben and his mom wanted the Weston siblings to come to them.
He looked down at Rebecca's face. She still showed the same vacant confusion he had recognized in his own face after one of his father's attacks. How long had his dad been hitting her? How long had he not seen it? Was it just since he had been forced out of the house? They needed a sanctuary, a home. It was being offered to them on a plate.
129
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
A home and a family, and as he looked back at a clearly hopeful Ben, maybe also someone he could count on.
"Let's go home."
130
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
Chapter 12
July fourth was just the best day ever; a picnic on the playing fields and a fireworks display watched from the blanket with his new family. Ben was on duty, but he did manage to make it to see the fireworks with them. It was the night of their first real kiss, in that half time of dusk, as they waited for drinks at the booth and chatted about Rebecca, football, and everything else that came so easy between them.
It was a gentle kiss, and Zach simply leaned into it and then pulled away with a heated expectation rising in him. He touched his own lips with a single finger, touching where Ben had kissed and looked directly at him.
Zach wasn't stupid. He knew why Ben pulled back
all the time. He had turned twenty five in May, and he had explained how six years was too much of a gap. Not only that, but a police officer didn't take advantage of someone who was a guest in his momma's home. Zach never argued the point, just stole hugs when he could, spent hours talking to Ben, and tonight Ben had given him a simple kiss. It was a start.
It didn't go any further, but he was content to lean back against Ben and watch the fireworks, and if his hand 131
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
slipped down to cover Ben's? Well, no one could actually see in the dark.
* * * *
Thanksgiving marked two milestones. The news
came through that their father had been put away for a minimum of twenty-five years, having pled guilty to all charges — manslaughter, as far as his wife went, abuse of minors, and willful child neglect.
Then Rebecca had her first real boyfriend, a young guy from her school, all holey jeans and leather jacket, and Zach did his big brother thing. He was stern and tried to go for intimidating the boy, which worked fairly well as he had bulked up since his life had settled into routine. He very nearly had the physique to match his height. He spent long hours thinking about his dad and what had happened to his mom, wishing he could find just one ounce of affection for either of them. His mom's only redeeming quality was that she had put herself in the way to protect Rebecca. He had gotten to the point where he realized he felt nothing for either parent. That lack of feeling scared him enough to go into counseling. He didn't want to be numb, to miss out on life and love because of what he'd 132
The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott
endured.
Counseling helped. He had sessions on his own,
then some with Rebecca, and even one with Ben holding his hand. He had passed his GED and was determined to make this year the year that he was able to apply to colleges.
If anything,
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